Smart and creative ideas on how to use office booths in your workspace…

Creatives ideas on how to use booths in your workspace – tl;dr

• A hybrid virtual conferencing space. According to 76% of companies, enhanced video conferencing is a technological priority. A pod, such as hushHybrid, is a perfect all-in-one solution addressing the need for high-quality hybrid meeting space.

• A “virtual nature break” space. Digital restorative spaces show considerable potential to promote wellness, relaxation and stress reduction. In fact, spending a quarter in a private, quiet environment, such as an office pod, enjoying waterfall videos or listening to nature sounds can speed recovery from work-related stress.

• A gaming space. Play has a positive impact on creativity.  While leisure time  contributes to increased productivity, play is a substantial boost to company profitability. A large acoustic booth, such as hushMeet.L can be an exceptional recreation space. It contains all sounds made inside, granting employees freedom to unwind without concerns about distracting colleagues on the floor. 

• A conversation space. Small talk fosters positive emotions, increasing engagement in organisational citizenship behaviours, and boosting overall wellness while watercooler chit-chat promotes more reciprocity to democratise collaborative discussions. A pod or booth makes an excellent location for spontaneous conversations.

• A one-to-one meeting space. In fact, around half of all meetings are one-to-ones. Is there a more convenient environment for personal discussions than a private, cosy office booth, such as hushMeet.S?

All-in-one acoustic cabins for the office: work, meet, relax

Both pods and cabins address a number of different needs, extending beyond those related to work. So, they can serve as a professional conference room as well as a quiet retreat where you can unwind. Consider our hushPhone call booth – a versatile solution perfect for calls, impromptu video meetings or concentrative tasks.

Find out more: What tasks is an office phone booth suited for?

Whether used for team collaboration or individual work, pods enhance the soundscape for everyone in the office.

They serve a number of purposes while improving the office environment for everyone. A pod contains the noise made inside, reducing the excessive level of noise on the floor. Simultaneously, it’s a quiet oasis where its users can isolate themselves from the office hubbub and fully concentrate on their task. 

Acoustic pods are excellent focus spaces.

A focus space is a quiet, low-stimulus environment that prevents both visual and auditory distractions, allowing users to unwind without being interrupted. With their innovative design, sound-insulated pods and booths make perfect focus spaces.

Employees need dedicated focus spaces for tasks that require full concentration.

Workers favour cell-like spaces over open ones for concentrative tasks, as an excessive number of visual and auditory distractions impedes cognitive functions, such as working memory or dual-task concentration. In extreme cases, cognitive overload can lead to decreased performance and health issues. 

While vibrant, communal workspaces are perfect for some kinds of tasks, they may impede task absorption whenever full focus is required. The discrepancy between the workspace and cognitive needs can negatively impact one’s well-being, job confidence, and, ultimately, their capacity to perform well in their everyday duties. That’s why office pods and booths are an excellent solution for realising the full potential of the open-plan office by introducing more privacy and calmness. Indeed, they function as modern, flexible, cell-type offices that are highly valued by employees who need focus spaces, as the research shows

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

A small booth, such as hushMeet.S, is a top-notch meeting space.

According to the data, there has been a 73% increase in global demand for meeting rooms since 2020. Self-contained team booths, such as hushMeet.S, effectively address this demand as they are specifically designed and furnished to accommodate a set number of people, making optimal use of the floor space.

Estimates suggest that conference rooms remain unoccupied 55% of the time.

Undoubtedly, meeting booths are an attractive alternative to traditional conference rooms. They create a private and hushed environment, similar to a conference room, yet they stand out for their ease of installation and mobility. And this adaptability and compact design make meeting booths an excellent solution.

Acoustic booths fulfil all the important criteria. Firstly, they are acoustically impeccable, providing users with the peace and quiet needed for focused work. What’s more, they are private, effectively safeguarding the confidentiality of discussions. Booths offer another significant advantage: they have a homier feel compared to conference rooms, which a recent New York Times article labelled as “the least loved space in the modern office.” The author of the article made an accurate prediction that conference rooms would evolve into smaller, squarish spaces, featuring a democratic table with no head, with a more modular and cosier design, more innovative technological features and improved acoustics. In fact, our Hushoffice booths fit this description perfectly

– adds Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

According to studies, every generation favours pods over conference rooms for various reasons.

Traditionalists value their professional aesthetics and total privacy while baby boomers enjoy the personal sanctuary. Gen X appreciates the autonomy booths provide while millennials like their “resimercial” character. Gen Z values the casual quality, preferring layouts that foster workspace transparency.

Find out more: What does each generation want from the office?

Hushoffice booths are perfect spaces to meditate and unwind.

Intellectual workers need breaks. Spending as little as 20 minutes outside can have a significant impact on reducing cortisol levels. But, when time is of essence, even a short virtual nature break can work wonders. Taking 15 minutes in a private, self-contained space (for example, an office pod) watching rainforest videos or listening to nature sounds can noticeably boost overall well-being.

A virtual nature break within the soothing atmosphere of a pod may speed up stress recovery.

Remarkably, research shows that sessions combining both audio and video are most beneficial. And an office booth, such as hushHybrid, provides all the amenities facilitating such sessions: it is a blissfully quiet space equipped with a monitor adjusted at the appropriate height for comfortable viewing.

Private office cabins are also ideal breakout spaces.

Access to relaxation areas is directly connected with ease of communication, increased job satisfaction, and enhanced wellness. If you aim at improving the employee experience, such areas should be part of your open-plan workspace. Additionally, by choosing the most optimal shape, size, and style, you can tailor them to address your team’s exact needs.

A breakout space is an informal area in the office with no defined purpose.

In essence, it is a versatile area within the office, for example, a game room or a creative studio. Although it doesn’t have one precise definition, a breakout space is basically one thing: an area that employees can use depending on their individual needs. Let’s have a look at a few examples of what pods and booths can be used for.

A game room…

As the saying goes, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” In fact, the link between play and creativity is backed by scientific evidence. One study demonstrated that incorporating work recreation into the daily work routine improved job satisfaction by an impressive 92%! If the idea of increased employee productivity  does not appeal to you, the benefits of increased company productivity certainly will.

Large acoustic booths and pods, such as hushMeet.L, are excellent relaxation spaces.

HushMeet.L contains all noise made inside, allowing employees to unwind while protecting the precious quiet of the office space. When used as a relaxation space, it offers research-backed, needle-moving advantages of authentic play.

A space for relaxing and socialising…

Small talk fosters positive emotions, increasing engagement in organisational citizenship behaviours, and boosting overall wellness while watercooler chit-chat promotes more reciprocity to democratise collaborative discussions. To enable different kinds of spontaneous interaction, the contemporary office needs to provide employees with laid-back spaces.

Privacy is a key ingredient of an effective conversation space.

Using private spaces, such as hushWork pods, workers can engage in confidential discussions with entrusted confidence. The feeling of being physically and acoustically protected allows both parties to speak freely without the fear of being overheard or watched.

A creative studio ideal for introverted artists…

Seclusion is a pillar of creativity. Surprisingly, solitude does boost creativity – the time spent in a private, peaceful space can significantly sharpen one’s focus on their tasks. With its top-notch sound engineering, a pod or cabin is the place to go for all employees in need of peace and quiet within a bustling open-plan office.

A virtual meeting space or presentation recording booth…

According to a 2022 CBRE survey, 76% of companies consider enhanced video conferencing a top-three technological priority. Since hybrid meetings have become a fundamental element of the contemporary working world, pods such as hushHybrid – fully-furnished and equipped for effective video conferencing – have emerged as a robust, versatile solution for hybrid working.

A meeting hub for discussions with managers or colleagues…

Around half of all meetings are one-to-ones. And notably, employees who have more frequent and effective one-to-one meetings with their managers show greater levels of engagement compared to their colleagues. Is there a more convenient environment for personal discussions than a private, cosy office booth?

A comfortable place for hosting webinars…

Due to their interactive, personalised, real-time nature, webinars excel other sales outlets in terms of conversion. An acoustic pod, such as hushHybrid, provides a private, quiet environment ideal for hosting virtual events with full focus and without interruptions.

A small training room for both newly-hired and long-time employees…

63% of workers mentioned “no opportunities for advancement” as the major reason they left their jobs in 2021. According to most employees, lack of growth is even worse than low remuneration or lack of flexibility. That’s why the office should offer an effective training space, for example a hushMeet booth, where workers can enhance their skills, make progress, and remain satisfied with their career development.

So, what’s your opinion? Can you see new, creative ways to use booths in your workspace?

Creatives ideas on how to use booths in your workspace – summarized

• A hybrid virtual conferencing space. According to 76% of companies, enhanced video conferencing is a technological priority. A pod, such as hushHybrid, is a perfect all-in-one solution addressing the need for high-quality hybrid meeting space.

• A “virtual nature break” space. Digital restorative spaces show considerable potential to promote wellness, relaxation and stress reduction. In fact, spending a quarter in a private, quiet environment, such as an office pod, enjoying waterfall videos or listening to nature sounds can speed recovery from work-related stress.

• A gaming space. Play has a positive impact on creativity.  While leisure time  contributes to increased productivity, play is a substantial boost to company profitability. A large acoustic booth, such as hushMeet.L can be an exceptional recreation space. It contains all sounds made inside, granting employees freedom to unwind without concerns about distracting colleagues on the floor. 

• A conversation space. Small talk fosters positive emotions, increasing engagement in organisational citizenship behaviours, and boosting overall wellness while watercooler chit-chat promotes more reciprocity to democratise collaborative discussions. A pod or booth makes an excellent location for spontaneous conversations.

• A one-to-one meeting space. In fact, around half of all meetings are one-to-ones. Is there a more convenient environment for personal discussions than a private, cosy office booth, such as hushMeet.S?

Ways to use office booths on your floor – frequently asked questions

What are meeting booths?

A meeting booth is a ready-made, mobile, self-contained structure specially designed to hold successful meetings in an open-space office. It is acoustic and furnished, equipped with power points and other useful accessories, ensuring a perfect environment for private meetings. Find out more about the Hushoffice line of booths and pods.

What are soundproof office pods?

Soundproof office pods are available in a variety of sizes and styles, but they essentially share two things: quietude and privacy. Read more about our Hushoffice line.

What do office pods look like?

A small office pod (such as hushPhone) resembles a modern phone booth. Larger pods, such as hushMeet for gatherings of four people, are more like miniature rooms.